Encounter of green turtles on the Black Sand Beach, Big Island (Hawaii)
Turtles are animals very close to my heart.
Five of the world's 7 species of sea turtles make their home in Hawaii's waters, including the green sea turtle (honu), hawksbill (honu'ea), leatherback, loggerhead, and olive ridley. The green sea turtle is by far the most commonly encountered sea turtle on Hawaiian reefs, followed by the hawksbill.
Punalu'u Black Sand Beach (Big Island) - 4th Jan, 2018
Nikon D7200
Nikkor AF-S DX 18-105 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR ED
f/7.1, 640s, ISO-800
Green turtles are primarily herbivores (vegetarians). They feed on sea grasses and algae (green and red) that grow on rocks and reefs in the nearshore environment. Of approximately 400 species of algae present in Hawaii, only a small portion account for the majority of what they eat.
Punalu'u Black Sand Beach (Big Island) - 4th Jan, 2018
Why do green turtles bask (rest) on the shore?
One reason why they may bask on the shore is to conserve energy and regulate their
body temperature. Green turtles are reptiles, so they do not maintain a constant core body
temperature - instead their body temperature is influenced by the temperature of their
environment. Green turtles are known to bask only in the Galapagos Islands, Australia and
Hawaii.
My previous Steem posts:
https://steemit.com/photography/@pydata/my-new-year-s-eve-on-honolulu-s-waikiki-beach-hawaii-2017-18
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@pydata/hey-steemit-introducing-myself-data-nerd-crypto-geek-keen-on-traveling-and-dreaming-big
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